Feedback on page SDL2/README/cmake

[simonrapaka]

If you're using a mingw compiler on windows you won't get console output with this config.

To enable it go to ..compilerdir\lib\cmake\SDL2 and alter the sdl2-config.cmake file

remove the -mwindows flag and console output will be enabled

[icculus]

@madebr Should we make this a cmake option, or just document this in the README?

[madebr]

The issue is with the autotools' generated sdl2-config.cmake.
There, the -mwindows is kept because it has always been the case in SDL2.
The SDL2 CMake build script however does not add -mwindows to the installed SDL2 config files. So there's a discrepancy between autotools and CMake there.
SDL2 sdl2.pc adds -mwindows.

For SDL3, -windows is only added by sdl3.pc.
(see libsdl-org/SDL#5948)

Here, let's add an option to the installed sdl2-config.cmake script that will optionally drop the -mwindows.

# Set SDL2_NO_MWINDOWS to a true-ish value to not add the -mwindows link option
if(SDL2_NO_MWINDOWS)
  list(REMOVE_ITEM _sdl2_libraries "-mwindows")
endif()

The option will not be present on CMake SDL2 prefixes. (It has the ON behavior there)

[madebr]

#370

[icculus]

Okay, we have a way to turn things off, and clear documentation on how to do it, I think we're good here. Thanks for jumping on this so quickly, @madebr!

[JakeSmarter]

The issue is with the autotools' generated sdl2-config.cmake.

No @madebr, the issue is in SDL2’s incomplete and incorrect code.

There, the -mwindows is kept because it has always been the case in SDL2.

This is no argument. Just because something has been done incorrectly for a long time, no matter whether intentionally or unintentionally, does not make it right. It is just pure abusive behavior from the get go. Better finally fix things for the better then never.

There is also no point in curating broken behavior in one build system but not the other. Correctness is what matters. Besides, nothing has been fixed. list(REMOVE_ITEM _sdl2_libraries "-mwindows") in CMake is nothing more than an ugly workaround for the very bug that has been created in SDL2’s code in the first place. Sadly, because of this kind of inappropriate attitude the bug’s repercussions are perpetuated to this very day: libsdl-org/SDL#5948.

For SDL3, -mwindows is only added by sdl3.pc.

This means perpetuating this non‑sense instead of fixing the root cause. 🤦‍♂️